Facial recognition OK in some circumstances, not others, Kasich says

Darrel Rowland, The Columbus Dispatch

Friday

Aug 30, 2013 at 12:01 AMAug 30, 2013 at 6:20 PM

Gov. John Kasich says the state needs to slow down in its use of facial recognition software to pick out offenders of Ohioans' driver's license photos. "I am concerned about the level of government knowledge about everything about us," Kasich said. "We all care about security, we all care about safety, but we'd better care about our freedom and our liberty."

Gov. John Kasich says the state needs to slow down its use of facial recognition software on Ohioans’ driver’s license photos, but backs law enforcement use of the sophisticated technology to identify possible criminal suspects.

“Current law allows law enforcement officers to use driver’s license photos to help identify and catch criminals, and we understand that many of them use the attorney general’s facial recognition technology to help them analyze those photos,” Kasich said after comments at an earlier press conference proved confusing. “The attorney general and I have discussed his procedures and he has indicated to me that he is conducting a review to help ensure that citizens’ rights are safeguarded. I completely agree with that and commend him for it.”

Kasich’s stance was clarified because his remarks at the press conference about state use of facial recognition technology were almost entirely negative.

“I am concerned about the level of government knowledge about everything about us,” said Kasich, comparing the technology to spying on Americans by the National Security Agency. “We all care about security, we all care about safety, but we’d better care about our freedom and our liberty.”

But it turns out Kasich wasn’t talking about use under the office of Attorney General Mike DeWine. Instead, the governor was referring to the prospective use of computerized facial recognition by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles on photos of driver’s license applicants to pick out possible duplicates.

“We have not moved forward at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles offering that technology,” Kasich said.

“If Ohio were to ever consider using the technology in issuing driver’s licenses, or in other more expanded ways, then I think the General Assembly should be consulted. I believe we should always move cautiously when constitutional rights are at issue.”

He said implementation of the technology at the BMW is “an open question right now. I have not decided to move forward. And frankly I think we all need to understand the implications of what we’ve been seeing with NSA....It’s like that old Elvis Costello song, Watching the Detectives.”

DeWine — like Kasich, a Republican — acknowledged earlier this week that the Bureau of Criminal Investigation began using computerized facial recognition about two months ago to match photos from driver’s licenses, state IDs and other sources with criminal mug shots as part of law enforcement investigations. Although the American Civil Liberties Union and others have called for at least a delay in the program until standards are developed by a nine-person panel that includes two former Ohio Supreme Court justices DeWine named yesterday.

The program was launched without public notice and two weeks before DeWine even knew about it, which he says was a mistake.

“All of us should have concerns about what the NSA is doing and we should have concerns about government knowing more and more about us and that being abused,” said DeWine, who got an inside look during 11 years on the Senate Intelligence Committee. “Having said that, I think my program has some safeguards.”

He said he put together the oversight group because he understands concerns about such technology by the public, who can attend the meetings.

“The public’s going to have an ample opportunity to hear about the program and make their own judgment,” he said.

Kasich’s remarks came in response to the final question of a brief press conference following an event touting his $2.7 billion tax-cut package at the Westerville Grill, a small diner along Rt. 3 where the governor sometimes eats breakfast.

He and state Tax Commission Joe Testa called on Ohio employers to implement new withholding tables quickly so Ohioans can quickly benefit from a 9 percent drop in withholding rates the that kicks in Sunday. A 0.25-point state sales tax increase takes effect at the same time, as well as a revamped Commercial Activities Tax.

As Testa, standing in front of posters for a 1953 Ford and a Nash, outlined what may be the biggest tax cut in the U.S., Kasich cut in to say, “I don’t think those people behind those cameras have a clue what you are talking about,” referring to where the news media were gathered. Kasich said the grill’s owner had no idea he was getting a tax cut until today.

The governor said it “would be ideal” if Ohio could eliminate its income tax altogether. Now, Ohioans are moving to Florida not because the weather is warm but because the state has no income tax. He also said Tennessee has become a competitor with Ohio because it has no income tax, although it collects a 9 percent state sales tax.

Kasich said he also wants to start introducing students to specific occupations as soon as first grade, start vocational education earlier, and give eight- and ninth-graders credit toward graduation for spending a few hours a week at a local business.

drowland@dispatch.com

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